This is my first blog since my summer hiatus. I truly unplugged these last few months, spending most of my time in the mountains. Very little email. Very little structure. My daily exercise and living routine went out the window. …

To saunter means to walk in a slow, relaxed manner, without hurry or effort. Doesn’t that sound delightful? Have you had a chance to saunter lately? Sauntering in nature is my goal this summer, along with some writing and time on and in the lake with family and friends. It…

A crucible moment is a transformative experience through which an individual comes to a new or an altered sense of identity. Typically, it’s a painful experience that changes us. These experiences can give us direction and clarity and, in some cases, can change the direction of our life entirely. Often…

An othermother is a woman who cares for children who are not her own. These women are aunts, sisters, grandmothers, nannies, stepmothers, mothers-in-law, teachers, friends, coaches, mentors and neighbors who play an integral role in fulfilling the psychological, emotional, physical and educational needs of children they did not bear. Some…

If so, you’re not alone. The isolation and disorientation of the global pandemic have many of us asking, “Is this the life I want to live?” Personally, I have a hard time picturing what life will be like after things go back to “normal.” …

My 21-year-old rock-climbing daughter, Marina, shares her experience with weight, culture and growing up. When she shared this with me a few days ago I was surprised by what I didn’t know about her experience, considering how close we are. Her friend posted it on the girlzwhoclimb blog. …

We all are difficult at times. Some of us more than others. I often think about the story below to help identify if I’m being a jerk: When I find myself particularly impatient and annoyed, I remind myself that I may well be coming across as a difficult person.

In what ways does society historically and systemically take away our power? As employees? In marriage? As women? As people of color? In any way we show up as “other” through our preferences, identities, beliefs, ancestry, experiences, abilities, age, etc.? I’ve been exploring the concept of personal sovereignty: the intrinsic…

I was moved by the story below about a mother protecting her 3-year-old daughter from a disrespectful and inappropriate step-grandpa. It made me reflect on the often insidious and silent experience we have as girls and women in a patriarchal world. Because this is a topic too often silenced, I…